For a sweet, healthy snack with some crunch to it, you will love this quinoa brittle!

Quinoa has more protein than other grains like rice, barley, and wheat. One cup of quinoa even has two grams more protein than a large egg. The protein in quinoa is also a complete protein, offering all the essential amino acids a human requires to build strong muscle and connective tissue, and create all the enzymes we use in a myriad of ways throughout the body. This amino acid profile is similar to the balance provided by milk and it includes lysine, often missing in plant-based proteins. This is why Sunwarrior uses quinoa in their Classic Plus!Other benefits of quinoa is that it’s gluten free, unlike many grains. It is a low-calorie food and is low on the glycemic index. It comes packed with fiber and contains more calcium than other grains.

Quinoa Brittle

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup uncooked quinoa
• ¾ cup chopped pecans
• ¼ cup rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of sea salt
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• ½ cup maple syrup

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment, make sure it covers the entire pan and up the edges to prevent spill over.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
3. In a small sauce-pan, melt the coconut oil and maple syrup until well blended. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir until completely combined.
4. Pour out onto the parchment-lined pan. Spread as evenly as possible to ensure even baking. If the mixture is too thin on the edges, the edges will burn while the middle won’t crisp up.
5. Bake for 15–20, turn the pan for even browning and bake for 5–10 more minutes until a nice golden brown color.

 Recipe and photo courtesy of Sunwarrior.